Esophageal Cancer Support Group

Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes. Esophageal tumors usually lead to dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), pain and other symptoms, and is diagnosed with biopsy. Small and localized tumors are treated with surgery, and advanced tumors are treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy or combinations.

Social Security Disability (SSD)

This is in response to rKaye but wanted to post info for all to read. I found the brochure we had about qualifying for SSD. It's several paragraphs but these are the highlights.

"Social Security Administration makes the medical decisions regarding whether or not you are diabled......Esophageal Cancer is on the "list of impairments"....you automatically are diabled as defined by the law.

A confirmed diagnosis of Esophageal Cancer (EC) is an automatic medical approval based on Soc. Sec.'s own guidelines. Get a copy of your biopsy/surgery report and the pathologist's report confirming the EC to accompany your application and it is automatically approved for disability benefits.

You must be disabled for 5 months before monthly payments can begin. You can file for disability at any time and the benefits can be retroactive up to one year........... Persons of any age before "normal" retirement age may apply for SSD. Benefits are primarily based on previous work credits and can be surprisingly high."

Sorry this was so long but I hope the info helps and all of you with EC diagnosis file for SSD. I don't know many people with too much money!

My husband was able to get SSD from his dx of esophageal cancer. He was already retired and was age 58 when he was diagnosed. They gave us back pay for his SSD. I didn't think he would get it since he was already retired, but he did. It was very easy to get it as it is an automatic approval with such a diagnosis.

We are fortunate in one respect in that we own are own business and had ST and LT disability insurance thru the company. The disability plan filed the paperwork for us so I'm not real sure how it all worked. I would think, with governmental red tape involved, it would be better to get the forms online and submit all paperwork in person.

The downside to being a business owner is that without my husband there, and the current economic downfall, is we have suffered huge financial loses. We are currently pursuing what's called a LILOC, a loan or advance against a life insurance policy. We have qualified however the paperwork is frustratingly slow. By the time it's all said and done it will have been a month from beginning to end. It will literally save us financially but the process has been stressful due to the time delays.

You are welcome if any of this info helps in any way. I'd rather share what I know than leave someone to learn everything the hard way like I tend to do! :)

Yeah, why do they make things so hard to do and understand :-) I know when I was my sickest - there was just no way I could figure anything like that out and I wouldn't have even felt like helping anyone else do it for me, if it involved any thinking or concentration on my part. I was just too tired, too sick, too weak. But, now that I do feel better, I would love to sort things out better. Being sick can take a big dip out of one's savings/assets - even when you have insurance. But, I'm so grateful to be alive and better :-) So, I'm ready to tackle the paperwork trail :-)

My husband had a stroke a couple years ago and is a veteran, so, I want to check on what services they can help with too. I know when I was in the hospital and he needed to stay in an assisted living for the 8 days I was in the hospital, they pretty much told us it takes weeks or months to apply for help, so we needed to come up with the funds ourselves. It was 5000.00+ because they had a one month minimum pay. I don't believe there would have been any reimbursement. But for future, I do want to see what progams they offer to help with things he may need down the road. If I did need some type surgery again - that's the only reason (God willing) that we need to be apart, because with him having the stroke, he really couldn't stay overnight with me there, like I could with him when he had his stroke.

I found the SSD process to be relatively quick and painless. I did a lot on-line, and had to go to the office in person only twice, once for my husband (the patient) to get benefits and once for myself and my kids. Since I am currently employed I am not eligible for benefits, but if I should lose my job, the paperwork is already in place.

After dealing with multiple healthcare providers, insurance companies, FMLA, and other headahces SSD was not a problem. Also, my husband was a state employee and the his work disability was also fairly easy to obtain.

That said, I don't know how patients who don't have a loved one doing all of this for them could possibly cope with all the paperwork.

I could not have done the paperwork myself when I was the sickest, for sure. In fact, I could not have even answered the questions that someone else would have needed to know from me. Course, I didn't even know about it back then. Why is it that financial help seems to be such a secret? Really, aren't we dealing with enough just trying to survive? Well, thank God for places like this and people like so many here, who take their time to help others :-) Thanks so much! I am in the process of the online part of it. There is a lot to enter....dates, Drs., etc.... but it's great that it lets you stop and continue without losing all that you've entered up to that point. I will need to do mine in stages, for sure. Thanks!

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